Play Episode on iTunes & Stitcher
Cuddling up next to my precious little Joy filled me with delight. Since I had her when I was 42, and had 3 miscarriages before her, I was pretty sure I would not have any more little ones. I cherished our time together to explore worlds, adventures, heroes.
Last week, I interviewed Joy about what she remembers as her favorite fiction titles and why she loved these particular heroines. But as she was speaking, I realized that Joy had, to a large degree, embodied the protagonists she was describing. Stories shape the imagination of what our children will become. And I had chosen each book because of the great vocabulary and wonderful character and attributes and choices each wonderful heroine had made.
Women ask me how I could choose to read real literature and put aside text books—because they are better brain, heart and soul food. By swimming in the waters of these stories, Joy became submerged and changed by the words she had lived in—and I love who she has become. She is one of the women I most respect.
Some of our most beautiful memories of home are snowy Colorado days complete with a cozy fire, a cup of hot chocolate or tea, a great read-aloud, and my pajama-clad children sitting rapt with interest in one of the many of thousands of books we read together.
What a wonderful thing it is to have stories that you can all share together, the delights of which are not too soon forgotten. My family still recalls stories from books we have read during our school days, listened to in the car on long road trips to conferences, and even the ones we listened to in the car just driving to and fro in town.
We love the unabridged stories which thoughtfully leave the heart of the author intact throughout the whole narrative. Reading aloud to children is as natural as mothering itself. It is meant to be a delightful, bonding time together and a fantastic way to disciple your children through stories. In our home, we never made our children just sit and listen, rather they always had some sort of an activity to do during reading time. At the beginning of each school day, I would give them a few moments to gather their assorted activities and get ready to read.
In a time when there are many anti-heroes—people who do not model virtuous lives or authentic humane selves, these books actually do the job of shaping the mental pathways of who your children will become—so make sure those stories are the best, tried and true, timeless tales.
Books Referenced in this Podcast:
More Resources:
FOR MORE
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.
Leave an iTunes Review These are so important as they help our podcast reach more women with messages of encouragement.
Follow on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.
Share with others. My prayer is that this podcast brings encouragement to women and families, and I would be honored for you to tell others about it.
Join my friends and me in membership at Life with Sally, a place for me to share more teaching from the Bible and messages on education, motherhood, discipleship, and more!
